Urban food markets as socio-environmental systems: pollution exposure, vendor vulnerability, and decision implications in Akure, Nigeria
摘要
Urban food markets operate as complex socio-environmental systems in which economic activities, environmental conditions, infrastructure, and governance arrangements interact to shape both livelihoods and exposure risks. Environmental pollution within these systems poses significant health and economic challenges, particularly in rapidly urbanising cities in developing countries. Despite the central role of urban markets in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, empirical research has not explicitly examined how environmental pollution is associated with vendor performance within a systems and decision-making context. This study addresses this gap by analysing vendor awareness, environmental pollutant levels, and sales performance in major food markets in Akure Metropolitan, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 120 food vendors using a structured questionnaire, complemented by on-site air quality measurements of formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), PM2.5, and PM10. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression were employed to examine interactions between socio-economic characteristics, environmental exposure, and sales outcomes. Results indicate low awareness of environmental pollutants among vendors, with only 20.83% recognising exposure to pollutants such as formaldehyde. Pollutant concentrations varied significantly across market locations, with mean levels of HCHO (0.04758 mg/m3), TVOC (0.174 mg/m3), PM2.5 (26.64 μg/m3), and PM10 (75.75 μg/m3), exceeding recommended thresholds in several markets. Regression results show that education, sex, marketing experience, shop size, work hours, and market access are significantly associated with sales performance, whereas environmental pollutants, particularly TVOC, PM2.5, and PM10, significantly decrease it. These findings are consistent with a reinforcing feedback pattern in which poorer environmental quality is associated with weaker economic performance. In contrast, limited economic capacity may constrain vendors’ ability to adapt or reduce exposure. By framing urban markets as socio-environmental systems, the study provides decision-relevant insights for municipal authorities, market managers, and public health agencies, highlighting priority intervention points for pollution mitigation, infrastructure improvement, and vendor education to enhance both environmental quality and market sustainability.